The building of the Veerenni Health Centre received an international environmental certificate

Veerenni Health Centre strives to lead by example and has set itself the goal of operating in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. With the help of Forus the health centre building at Veerenni 53a that belongs to Summus Capital has just received the prestigious international LEED Gold certification, which recognizes sustainable buildings.

The asset and ESG manager of Summus Capital’s portfolio is Green Formula Capital, which has designed and helps implement a full-scale ESG program for Summus Capital. Part of the sustainability program is building certification and energy efficiency improvements. “The globally recognized LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification has become a quality label for both new and older buildings. Increasingly, tenants ask about the availability of such a certificate for the building they are interested in. Summus considers the application of ESG principles and sustainability an important part of the company’s business culture,” confirmed Green Formula Capital CEO Meelis Šokman.

“Building certification is one of the many steps we are taking to make our real estate portfolio efficient and convenient for both tenants and other building users,” said Marina Roosimägi, spokesperson for Summus Capital.

Suggestions for the future

The role of Forus is to provide building owners with recommendations for certification. The specialists of the company get acquainted with the object and provide their assessment. Among other things, the certification takes into account the environmental impact of the transport of building users. According to Kairi Nõulik, Head of Energy Efficiency at Forus, many people come to the Veerenni Health Centre by public transport, which has earned the building a lot of points.

Forus also conducted an energy audit, during which experts made a number of proposals for the future and drew up an action plan to reduce costs and use resources in an environmentally friendly manner. For example, solar panels were installed on the roof. LEED focuses not only on the energy costs of a building, but also on reducing the share of all incidental expenses. Forus specialists have prepared various action plans in other areas, such as improvements, repairs, and water management.

“During certification, it is not necessary to implement all of our proposals, but it is essential to develop a specific action plan to gradually move towards sustainability in the future,” Nõulik emphasized, adding that improvements can be carried out over a longer period of time, and for the building owner, such a solution is better from the financial point of view.

The building is assessed every three years

Being LEED-certified ensures Summus that the work done so far, and the activities planned for the future help to preserve the environment and thus contribute to creating a better future. “For Summus, the certification process has been comprehensive and varied. In the process of certification under the active leadership of Forus, we have received plenty of feedback and advice on how to make the building more energy efficient and user friendly. We can already see the benefits it has brought. The costs associated with the building have been reduced, which is important for both the owner of the building and the tenants,” said Marina Roosimägi.

While meeting LEED standards in new building design is now quite common, what is unique is the ability of older buildings to maintain this high standard. Veerenni Health Centre building was completed in 2017. While a brand-new building can hold the quality label indefinitely, buildings already in operation must be certified every three years to demonstrate whether they are moving towards meeting the goals and progressing in terms of sustainability.

Learn more about LEED certification on the Forus website.